Little Mix can’t resist dig at ex-pal Jesy Nelson as they kick off new Confetti tour

LITTLE MIX have insisted they are stronger than ever as a threesome after kicking off their final live shows.

Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall took to the stage in Belfast over the weekend for their long-delayed Confetti Tour.

In bold outfits as multi-coloured as a pack of Skittles, the trio wowed the audience at the SSE Arena with a 22-song set list.

The high-energy show was packed with so many sequins and feathers that I fear there could be a shortage at next week’s Rio Carnival.

Keen to make a point that they will reform at some point in the future and they aren’t splitting for good, the message “Little Mix 2011-Forever” was beamed up on giant screens.

As the slogan appeared, an emotional Jade said: “We wouldn’t have got where we are today if it wasn’t for the love we have for each other.

"We have been through absolutely everything together.

“We have cried together. We have laughed together. We have seen each other naked. We really are the best of friends.

“We are family now and that is going to remain for ever and ever, no matter what.”

In a move that is sure to ramp up controversy, Leigh-Anne even changed her lyrics to track Gloves Up to remove reference to ex-bandmate Jesy Nelson.

Instead of “legend of the four divas”, Leigh-Anne belted out “legend of the three divas” in light of Jesy’s decision to quit the group at the end of 2020.

While initially it had seemed like the split was amicable, Jesy later admitted she had totally lost touch with her former bandmates.

Her fans then became embroiled in an online feud with Little Mix followers over leaked direct messages in which Leigh-Anne accused Jesy of “blackfishing” — pretending to be black or mixed race — in her debut solo music video for Boyz.

Superstar rapper Nicki Minaj, who collaborated with Jesy on the song, branded Leigh-Anne “jealous”.

Hinting at the clash, Leigh-Anne said at her 30th birthday party, referring to her partner, footballer Andre Gray and their twins: “Best believe everything I stand for, everything I’m fighting for is for them. And I will never stop. I’ve found my voice now and I will continue to use it.”

After wrapping up a second concert in Belfast last night, Little Mix will play two shows in Dublin before a further 21 across England, Scotland and Wales.

I hope to see them take their final bow on their third sell-out night at London’s iconic O2 Arena on May 14.

'I wont play by the rules'

AUSSIE pop export Ruel has completed a sellout tour of this country but is in no rush to upgrade to huge arena concerts.

The rising star supported Shawn Mendes for massive shows Down Under in 2019 but said he finds the idea of being a superstar on his scale “scary”, so is taking his time.

Ruel, whose Friday show in London was watched by dancers AJ Pritchard and Abbie Quinnen, AJ’s girlfriend, said in an exclusive chat: “Those artists who can tour the world and play arena after arena, it’s a whole different life. It’s a very strange way to live.

“It is exciting but it’s also quite scary to me. I’m happy how I am now, playing theatres like Shepherd’s Bush (Empire, in West London). Obviously, the goal is to get there – but I’m going to take my time with it.”

The Painkiller singer, who was born in London and relocated to Australia with his family at the age of four, will surely finish the year with his profile continuing to climb.

For Ruel is finally preparing to release his debut album.

He said: “I’ve done one too many EPs, I think, because I was supposed to put out an album in 2020 – and then obviously everything went to s**t (with the pandemic), so I had to delay it a bit.

“I had all the songs but I couldn’t leave Australia to go to LA to finish it all. So I just put out the songs we had finished as an EP.

“The album is coming together very quickly now. So it will definitely be coming out this year.”

Amber's red hot

AFTER flaunting her figure in a daring new cabaret performance, Amber Davies tells me she has never felt more confident.

The Love Island winner turned West End performer features in Cabaret All Stars at Proud Embankment in London and says her role – which sees her writhing provocatively under cascading water – has unleashed her sexy side.

Amber told me: “The show is like my alter ego with the outfits. I don’t feel like it is me on stage.

“I wanted to make it a spectacle. I said I wanted to get rained on. I wanted to wow the audience and to get wet on stage. The audience love it.”

Amber has now set her sights on Hollywood.

She told me: “America is my ultimate goal, be it film or theatre on Broadway. I feel really confident in the direction my career is going in.”

It’s great to see someone putting their talent to use for once rather than simply hopping shamelessly from one low-rent show to another.

Camila's saviour

CAMILA Cabello has told how she has struggled with the pressures of fame and how time out during lockdown saved her life.

The former Fifth Harmony singer said: “I feel like it saved my life. I really mean that. I was having the worst time mental health wise.

“I was having crippling anxiety. I feel like I was really close to not functioning. It was really bad.”

The Bam Bam singer, who split from Canadian pop star Shawn Mendes in November last year following a two-year romance, added that after seeking therapy in 2020 she is now feeling better than ever.

In an exclusive first listen of the Cuban American singer’s chat with Scott Mills, Camila said: “I am doing so well now. I am so happy.

“The therapy was huge. I wouldn’t lie about this. I am in such a good place now.”

Tracks Of My Years airs on Radio 2 all this week.

Matt in heaven

FANS of The Amazons will be treated to the Reading band’s most intimate record yet in How Will I Know If Heaven Will Find Me?, their third album.

Frontman Matt Thompson says he wrote the songs mainly so his Los Angeles-based girlfriend would hear them, bringing the pair closer after being unable to see each other during lockdown.

But they ended up forming the backbone of the album, which is due out in September.

Matt said: “The gap between us was no longer being bridged by WhatsApp and FaceTime.

“I sent letters but that didn’t do it either. We felt further apart than ever.

“Writing songs about what we’d do when we were together again became my way of taking control of the situation. It allowed me to share something truly intimate.

“Writing is the best skill I have and being able to use it to fix a problem gave me purpose again.”

Ozzy wraps album

OZZY Osburne has finished work on his next studio album.

Black Sabbath rocker Ozzy told fans on social media: “I’m so happy to let everyone know that I finished my new album this week and deliver­ed it to my label Epic Records.

"I’ll be sharing all the information about the album and its upcoming release in the next several weeks.”

Ozzy’s most recent album, 2020’s Ordinary Man, featured collabor­ations with Sir Elton John and Post Malone.

It reached No3.

Shaggy's tuor

SHAGGY has announced a seven-date UK tour for this summer.
It comes ahead of Shaggy’s second joint album with Sting.

Shaggy said: “There is something coming up with me and Sting that is incredible. It is not what you expect. It is so left-field it is crazy.”

The It Wasn’t Me singer will kick off his tour at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire on June 21 with subsequent shows in Manchester, Bristol, Sheffield, Solihull, Edinburgh and Lincoln.